Safety pin



June 21, 1949. s. D. MARROCZCO SAFETY PIN Filed June 28. 1945 INVENTOR.(iuyfl. Afar/arm Jam/e, M w

ATTORNEYS Patented June 21, 1949 SAFETY PIN Guy D. Marrocco,

Carman & 00., Inc.,

Brooklyn, Y... assignor to New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication June .28, 1945, Serial No. 602,059

3 Glaims. 1

This invention relates to an improved pin particularly a safety pin ofthe type used in laundries and generally known as laundry pins.

Pins of this type are used in laundries to hold mesh bags and the likein closed position. The mesh or other fabric used in the bag becomesentangled with the coil, clasp and other portions of the pin with theresult that time is wasted in disentangling the pin and the mesh orother fabric is frequently damaged. The conventional type of shields orguards sometimes provided on safety pins do not prevent the coarse meshfrom becoming entangled in the coil, clasp and other portions of thepin.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pin ofthe above character which overcomes the difiiculties heretoforeencountered and will not become entangled with the mesh or other fabric.

A further object is the provision of an improved guard -or shield for asafety pin such as a laundry pin which will serve as a positive stop andwhich is so formed as to prevent the material with which the pin is usedfrom passing beyond the guard.

Among other objects is the provision of an improved safety pin such as alaundry pin having a positive guard or shield which is relatively simpleand inexpensive to manufacture, which will not damage or injure thefabric with which the pin is used and which is sturdy and rugged andwill give satisfactory service over a long period of time withcomparative freedom from wear.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pin embodying myinvention showing it applied to a mesh laundry bag.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the pin in open position,

Fig. 3 is an end view from the coil end of the pin showing it in openposition, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views in the direction of the arrows 4-4 and5-5 on Fig. 2.

My invention resides in the improved type of guards and shields whichare applied to the pin together with the structure whereby the guardsare combined with the pin.

Aside from the improved guards or shields the pin illustrated in theaccompanying drawing is a conventional type of laundry pin which issimilar to a large safety pin. The pin is made from a single strand ofresilient wire and is formed with two arms 5 and l integrally connectedby the spring coil 8, the arm 1 being formed with the point 9 at itsfree end and the arm 6 being formed with clasp H) at its free end so asto be adapted to engage with the pointed end of arm I.

' between closed and open positions.

The clasp ll] is the conventional shielded clasp made of sheet metalwrapped around the end of arm 6, as shown, and formed with a troughshaped catch H along its opposite or lower edge in which the pointed endof arm 1 rests when the pin is closed. Spring coil 8 is so formed thatarms (5 and l are normally held in divergent position when the pin isopen as shown in Fig. 2. The pin is closed in conventional manner bysqueezing the two arms together until the pointed end of arm I rests inthe catch H. The pin and clasp should either be made of a material whichwill not rust or corrode, or they should be plated or otherwise suitablycoated to prevent discoloration ef the laundry.

Adjacent the two ends of the pin I provide the shields or guards l2 andI3 to prevent the fabric from becoming entangled with the coil or theclasp-and also to prevent the material from passing over the coil andclasp onto arm 6. Each of the guards takes the form of a flat platedisposed transversely of the two arms and they may be made of suitablematerial that will not rust or corrode or they should be suitably platedor coated as in the case of the pin itself.

Guard l2 is positioned adjacent to and blocks access to coil '8 andprojects laterally beyond the two sides of the arms 5 and l and abovethe arm 6 and below the arm 1 when the pin is in closed position. It isprovided with an aperture l4 through which arm 6 passes and with a slot15 for accommodating arm 1. Slot I5 is preferably disposed at an angleas shown so as to conform with the normal movement of arm 1 as it shiftsThe guard is suitably held in position as, for instance, by being spotwelded, brazed or soldered to arm 6. The guard may be conveniently madeby a stamping operation.

Guard 13 is positioned adjacent to and blocks access to the clasp and itprojects laterally beyond the arms 6 and I and above arm 6 and below armI when the pin is in closed position. It is provided with an aperture 16to accommodate arm 6 and with a tapered or generally triangularly shapedslot ll to accommodate arm 1. Slot I1 is of such a size to permit arm 1to move sufficiently both in an up and down direction and in a lateraldirection so that it may be shifted between open and closed positions.Guard 13 is also suitably held in position on the pin as by means ofspot welding, brazing or soldering.

The guard-s may be assembled on the pin during the process ofmanufacturing the pin prior to the attachment of clasp l0.

The pin is used in the conventional manner, that is, point 9 is passedthrough the fabric or other material while the pin is in open positionand the material is gathered on arm 1. Thereafter, the pin is closed andas shown in Fig. 1 the guards form positive stops preventing thematerial from becoming entangled with either the coil or the clasp orfrom passing beyond the coil and clasp onto arm 6.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an improved pin which may beused as a laundry pin and which prevents entanglement of the fabric orother material with the pin, which will not damage or injure the fabricand which may be used by an operator without any special skill ortraining. Modifications may be made in the illustrated embodiment of myinvention without departing from the invention as set forth in theaccompanying claim-s.

I claim:

1. A safety pin including a pair of arms resiliently connected to eachother adjacent one of their ends, a clasp mounted by the opposite end ofone of said arms, a trough portion forming a part of said clasp toreceive and releasably retain the adjacent end of the second arm, and aguard comprising a plate extending substantially transversely withrespect to the pin axis and mounted by and against any movement withrespect to said one arm at a point immediately adjacent the claspcarried by tie latter, said plate being formed with a tapered recessdisposed in line with said trough portion and defining betwen its edgesa space in excess of the transverse area of said portion, said recessbeing flared in the direction of the second arm and extending to theedge of said plate.

2. A safety pin including a pair of arms resiliently connected to eachother adjacent one of their ends, a clasp mounted by the opposite end ofone of said arms to receive and releasably retain the adjacent end ofthe second arm, and a guard comprising a plate extending substantiallytransversely with respect to the pin axis and mounted by and against anymovement with respect to said one arm at a point immediately in advanceof the point of connection of said arms, said plate being formed with aslot extending through to its edge and projecting ang-ularly in thedirection of movement of the second arm; said slot permanently receivingsaid second arm.

3. A safety pin including a pair of arms resiliently connected to eachother adjacent one of their ends, a clasp mounted by the opposite end ofone of said arms, a trough portion forming a part of said clasp toreceive and releasably retainthe adjacent end of the second arm, a guardcomprising a plate extending substantially transversely with respect tothe pin axis and mounted by and against any movement with respect tosaid one arm at a point immediately adjacent the clasp carried by thelatter, said plate bein formed with a tapered recess disposed in linewith said trough portion and defining between its edges a space inexcess of the transverse area{ REFERENCES CITED The followingreferenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Apr. 23, 1909

